Tomorrow's Leaders Today

Inspiring student leaders since 1978

DMA will be back for 2023! We have 7 workshops this summer — see you there!

Pricing and locations listed below

DMA 2021 Homepage

Drum Major Academy

Workshops 2023

We cover a full curriculum.
There’s a lot to it.

Our curriculum has been perfected over our 4-decade history. We teach 4 core concepts of marching music leadership.

Every student receives personalized instruction & feedback, and practices teaching & commanding their peers—a key component of a successful Drum Major.

Here's how.

The days of “floor, door, window, ceiling” are long gone. Marching band conducting follows an established rubric.

We teach teaching: how to “clean” with the DMA procedure. Using marching basics, students learn observation & teaching skills.

Every Drum Major must understand when and how to give the proper commands. Effective communication is crucial.

Being a leader means going the extra mile. It’s raising your hand “as high as you can” and then raising it 2 inches higher.

We work with the best.
You can, too.

We’ve assembled a team of world class music educators over our 40+ year history. Our workshops are taught by university professors and high school band directors.

Our staff bring their years and decades of experience to every one of our workshops. Our students get 1-on-1, hands-on training with music educators at the top of their field.

Learn from the best.

Drum Major Academy

Teaching Staff

Heidi Sarver, DMA Lead Teacher.

Heidi Sarver

Professor of Music
University of Delaware
Newark, DE
John Leonard, DMA Lead Teacher.

John Leonard

Assistant Director of Marching & Athletic Bands
University of Minnesota
Minneapolis, MN
Katie McCarthy, DMA Lead Teacher.

Katie McCarthy

Band Director
Attleboro High School
Attleboro, MA
Kirk, Daniel.

Daniel Kirk

Director of Bands
Sumner Academy of Arts & Science
Kansas City, KS
Justin McAdams.

Justin McAdams

Band Director
Phoenixville Area High School
Phoenixville, PA

Evan Doyle

Band Director
Westborough High School
Westborough, MA
Sindorf, Trevor.

Trevor Sindorf

Band Director
Westfield High School
Westfield, NJ

Leadership is a defining quality. We define it.​

We inspire our students to lead, learn, and grow. And we do it by igniting a fire in our students, driving each of them to become their fullest self.

Every student is overflowing with potential, if you know how to help them reach it.

We build leaders.

Don’t take our word for it

Hear what students, parents & educators say about DMA

Calling all Northeast Drum Majors! DMA will be at Westfield State in Massachusetts on July 26-29 — the only workshop we are offering in New England.